


the dream was marvelous but the terror was great

by tigriswolf



Series: comment_fic drabbles [136]
Category: Inception (2010), RED (2010), White Collar
Genre: Blood, Brothers, Crossover, Family, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Mild Language, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-24
Updated: 2013-03-24
Packaged: 2017-12-06 07:29:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 405
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/733016
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tigriswolf/pseuds/tigriswolf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>His arm is burning, and still sluggishly bleeding, and Neal's tucked into a corner, phone in his hand, Dad's number keyed in, waiting for Neal to hit call. </p><p>[Neal&Arthur are Frank Moses' twin sons]</p>
            </blockquote>





	the dream was marvelous but the terror was great

**Author's Note:**

> Title: the dream was marvelous but the terror was great  
> Fandom: White Collar/Inception/RED  
> Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Gilgamesh  
> Warnings: pre-canon for all three; mentions of blood/injury  
> Pairings: none  
> Rating: PG  
> Wordcount: 410  
> Point of view: third  
> Prompt: any. any. First time in real trouble

Arthur is out of contact due to some sort of military hullaballoo, and Neal really doesn't want to call his dad. Dad's going to be disappointed - whether for the fuck up (which is _major_ or for the criminality, Neal's not sure, but he is definitely going to be disappointed - but Neal has to call him. 

His arm is burning, and still sluggishly bleeding, and Neal's tucked into a corner, phone in his hand, Dad's number keyed in, waiting for Neal to hit call. 

He has to hit call. If he calls Arthur instead, Arthur's military career is shot ( _shot_ , hah) and Neal doesn't want to ruin his brother's life. Not any more than he did in high-school, when he got them both suspended for a week, or that time in junior high, when Arthur got a month’s detention for beating the shit out of Drake Whitman for stealing Neal’s sketchbook, or even back in elementary, when Arthur terrified the entire fourth grade into leaving Neal alone after his panic attack at the pep rally. 

Arthur has always taken care of Neal, and what has Neal given him in return? Trouble. So much fucking trouble. Neal can’t ruin his life anymore. 

So he hits call and holds the phone up to his ear, and when Dad grouches into the phone, “Been a long time, kiddo,” Neal mumbles, “Dad, I fucked up.” 

The words are slurred and his eyes keep slipping shut, and Dad barks, “Neal Francis Moses, you answer me, boy. Where are you?” 

Neal tells him, as best he can remember, and then he says, “Dad, I’m cold.” 

“Don’t worry, I got backup close to you, Neal,” Dad tells him. “Just hold on, I’ll be there soon.” 

“Let Artie know I’m sorry,” Neal mutters, head thunking back against the wall. “I never meant to ruin ‘is life.” 

“Neal!” Dad shouts, but Neal can’t answer, can’t open his eyes, can’t – 

.

Neal wakes up in a hospital under a name that isn’t his, Dad slumped in the chair beside him and Arthur quietly threatening a doctor until the man runs from the room. 

Arthur immediately focuses on Neal and Dad sits up, and after they’ve thoroughly chewed him out, Uncle Marvin and Auntie Tori slink in and have _their_ turns. 

And after _that_ , Arthur rests his forehead against Neal’s and just breathes, and Neal cups the back of Arthur’s head in his un-IV’d hand and holds on.


End file.
